In U.S. patent application Nos. 08/425,588; 08/517,429 and 08/577,964--filed on Apr. 20, 1995; Aug. 21, 1995 and Dec. 26, 1995, respectively--are disclosed a fluid coalescing method and apparatus; vapor removal, and selective volatilization and collection. In the specification disclosures thereof, each of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference, are described, by means of general summation, the following:
Selby & Stephenson, '588: A method to coalesce matter comprises providing a suitable, narrow passageway for throughput of matter in a vapor state, and passing the matter in a vapor state through said passageway, under conditions such that the matter is coalesced into a more ordered state. An apparatus useful for coalescing of matter comprises a hollow housing in communication with at least one of--(A) a plurality of suitably narrow hollow passageways, and (B) a suitably narrow, elongately hollow, matter-coalescing passageways--for throughput of matter to include as a vapor therein.
Selby, '429: An apparatus useful for removal of vapor comprises--(A) a hollow housing capable of holding a solid or liquid sample and being subject internally to a vacuum; (B) a hollow, carrier-gas wand in the housing having a carrier-gas entry port in communication with a carrier-gas system external to the housing, and a carrier-gas exit port disposed internally in the housing and at a position proximate the sample such that entering carrier-gas can sweep across a surface of the sample or through a section of vapor from the surface of the sample which is near thereto, but generally would not macroscopically significantly disturb the surface of the sample if a liquid; and (C) an exit port in the housing for egress of carrier-gas/vapor from inside the housing. Consequently, in general, vapors, as obtained by evaporation or sublimation, can be removed from such a vessel by a sweeping of the carrier gas gently above and/or across the surface of the sample and upward to the exit port. Methods of vapor retrieval and use of the apparatus are also provided thereby.
Selby & Cluff, '964: A method for selective volatilization and collection of a substance comprises providing a substance in a coalesced state, the substance having a surface boundary in contact with matter provided in the gaseous state, said provided substance and matter being substantially contained in a system for at least a portion of time the same are provided; providing thermal energy to the system including to the substance, and providing a current within the matter in the gaseous state, the current having an origin external to the system, such that, substantially without boiling being observable by the naked eye and without substantially disturbing the surface boundary of the substance, at lease one component of the substance becomes volatilized and crossed the surface boundary into the matter provided in the gaseous state; gently sweeping the volatilized substance component(s) in the matter in the gaseous state away from the boundary of remaining substance and the matter; and collecting the volatilized substance component(s). An apparatus useful with the method can comprise a generally enclosed vessel capable of holding the substance, a gaseous matter entry port such that its exit end, for providing the gaseous matter to the interior of the vessel, is disposed above the boundary of the substance, and an exit/collection port with means for collection of the volatilized component(s) of the substance. An entry port wand with a throttle and/or porous ball or director channel(s), or other means of tempering and/or directing the incoming gaseous matter, may be provided with the apparatus.
By the foregoing, analyses, especially of oil samples, are improved, and vapor collection efficiency is high. And yet, operation of the aforementioned apparatus in analytical testing may be somewhat if not significantly cumbersome.
Accordingly, improvement thereover is desired.